A Russian-flagged liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker, the Arctic Metagaz, is drifting in the central Mediterranean Sea, more than two weeks after a fire broke out onboard, raising fears of a major environmental disaster. The vessel is currently positioned between Malta, Lampedusa and the Gulf of Sirte, off the coast of Libya.
The fire erupted on the night of March 3-4, prompting the evacuation of the ship’s thirty Russian crew members to Benghazi, Libya. Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of striking the tanker with a drone, a claim that has not been officially confirmed by Kyiv.
Since the incident, the 277-meter-long Arctic Metagaz has been drifting, severely damaged and listing, with approximately 61,000 tonnes of LNG and 700 tonnes of diesel oil onboard. The structural integrity of the vessel remains uncertain, and approaching the ship poses a significant risk due to the potential for explosions, according to reports.
The Arctic Metagaz is part of what has been described as Russia’s “shadow fleet” – a parallel commercial shipping system established by Moscow to circumvent sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Switzerland on hydrocarbon exports. These vessels frequently change their names, flags, and ownership, operating along opaque routes between Russian terminals and ports in North Africa or Asia.
According to maritime database Equasis, the Arctic Metagaz has changed its name four times and its flag six times in the last three years, and has had nine different owners. Currently sailing under the Russian flag, the vessel’s administrative identity is obscured by a complex ownership structure that makes assigning responsibility in the event of an incident difficult.
The ship’s registered owner is Lathyrus Shipping Company, formally registered in Monrovia, Liberia, with connections to a structure ultimately leading to Mumbai, India. Both the vessel and its affiliated company are reportedly subject to various international sanctions.
The Arctic Metagaz departed Murmansk, Russia, in February, bound for Port Said, Egypt, a key transit point for the Suez Canal. MarineTraffic data shows the last recorded position before the fire placed the tanker approximately 30 nautical miles off the Maltese coast. However, the Times of Malta reported that the tanker had deactivated its transponder during the final 300 kilometers of its voyage, following a “grey route” to evade monitoring.
The situation is developing into a diplomatic challenge. A coalition of nine European countries, led by Italy and France, has sent a letter to the European Commission, stating that “the precarious condition of the ship, combined with the nature of its specialized cargo, constitutes a direct and serious threat of a major environmental disaster in the heart of the European Union’s maritime space.” The letter urges more decisive action against sanctioned Russian vessels.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has stated that, according to international law, responsibility for intervention rests with the nearest coastal states.
This has resulted in an operational stalemate, with no country seemingly willing to assume the risk and cost of securing the vessel, given its unstable condition. This inaction increases the danger of an ecological catastrophe: LNG, even as rapidly evaporating upon release, can cause large-scale fires, while diesel oil poses a direct threat to the marine ecosystem. An uncontrolled spill could damage fragile habitats, harm wildlife, and reach coastlines.
The incident is part of a pattern of similar events in the Mediterranean. Reuters reported that three tankers were damaged by explosions in separate incidents in February, the causes of which remain unknown; one such incident occurred in the port of Savona, Italy. In December 2025, the Russian tanker Qendil was struck by Ukrainian drones off the coast of Crete; the tanker was empty at the time, and no significant spills were reported. Ukraine claimed responsibility for that attack, characterizing it as a legitimate military action.
The case of the Arctic Metagaz highlights how the Mediterranean Sea, a vital global energy artery, has become a theater for hybrid warfare, with potentially devastating environmental consequences.
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